


A pawsome neighbour.

by RussianSunflower3



Series: Inktober 2017 [27]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: ALL OF NEKOMA ARE CATS!!!!, Cat, Gen, Inktober 2017, Just Add Kittens, Kitten related mischief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-23 21:26:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12516920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RussianSunflower3/pseuds/RussianSunflower3
Summary: Everyday, Naoi goes next door to check on elderly neighbour, Nekomata.Nekomata and his 8 cats.No, wait., Naoi thinks as he spots a new cat amongst the hoard,there's 9.





	A pawsome neighbour.

“Really, Nekomata-san? Another one?” Naoi stopped deadpan in the doorway of the room, looking into the living room of the elderly neighbour he visited daily to check he was okay. As much as Nekomata insisted he was sprightly and healthy, he’d had two strokes already, and the much younger teacher wasn’t going to let him die from a third because he was alone.

“ _Another_ cat?” He was also a very quirky individual, with 8 cats. No, make that 9. A grey, long haired cat with green eyes meows up at him in a friendly manner, a giant of a cat that Naoi has never seen before.

“His name is Lev. He’s a stupid hulk of a kitten, but the important thing is that he loves a good dose of affection.”

“That’s… Nice.” Nervously, Naoi reaches out and pats the kitten on the head. He’s been playfully scratched by Nekomata’s cats many times, the biggest offender being Yaku, who would only tolerate 5 chin scritches exactly and not a single more or in any other place.

Whilst Nekomata didn’t do favourites, Naoi definitely did. A little tuxedo kitten with a black heart on his nose and white tipped ears, Shibayama, was the only cat he would ever willingly cuddly and coo at.

“I visit you every day. How did you sneak him in without me seeing?”

“The internet is a wondrous place.”

“... I thought old people weren’t supposed to know how to use a computer.”

“Watch your mouth, young un’. I used a laptop.” The teasing is all in jest, the men having known each other long enough that they can argue like father and son without it sounding like a _real_ argument. 

Although, considering the cat habit is getting out of hand, Naoi might have to start a real argument soon.

“Have you taken your medicine today?” He doesn’t respond, and Naoi knows exactly what that means. He sighs.

“I’ll go get them. Bathroom cabinet as always?”

“If I wanted to choke, I’d have sucked more dick in my youth.”

“N-Nekomata-san!”

“What? It’s true. Enjoy your under 60’s whilst it lasts, boy. After that, everyone’s married off, straight, or dead.” Slapping his hand to his face and dragging it down in horror, Naoi leaves Nekomata to ramble about his ‘only _half_ promiscuous’ youth whilst he tries to find the medicine.

It would help if Kuroo wasn’t following him around, weaving underfoot and demanding some kind of attention.

“Stop trying to trip me, you murderer in the making. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to.” Kuroo meows again, a deep but weird sound that always trills at the end. The vet had assured Nekomata it was nothing to be concerned about - just a personality quirk that made Kuroo a little different from the rest.

“Get out from under my feet!” Naoi almost trips over Kuroo, but luckily rights himself before he falls. He glares down at the cat, only to get what looks like a smirk in return. Just Kuroo’s normal face, but it’s insult to injury. Or, well, potential injury.

“One day, I’m going to dye your fur. Let’s see how easily you slip in the shadows when you’re _neon pink_.” Not that Kuroo understands him, but it’s an empty threat anyways. Although he’s not crazy about cats - like his elderly neighbour - he doesn’t dislike them either. That fact is proved by how he’ll always spend a good ten minutes talking volleyball with Nekomata, since they both played it when they were younger, with a cat on his lap, or on his shoulder, or all over him.

“Alright, there we go, now leave me be~.” He strokes along the black cat’s back, scratching behind his ears, until Kuroo purrs and kneads the ground in happiness. Attention given, he can get back to the matter at hand. Retrieving Nekomata’s medicine. 

As much as Nekomata hated his medicine, at least he didn’t hide it, flush it down the toilet, or feed it to whoever came to visit under the guise of powdered sugar on a pie. Naoi’s own mother was guilty of all three, when she had been alive. Probably why she hadn’t lived long.

“Where is it, where is it…?” He rummaged through the cabinet, searching for the white and yellow box. Just as he pulled it out, another cat came scampering into the bathroom, purring a chirping like he was imagining bird between his teeth, and he leapt up onto the toilet seat to grab Naoi’s arm with his two front paws.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch. Claws.” He carefully plucks the two brown paws from his sleeve, tapping his finger to a light pink nose.

“How many time have I told you not to do that, Inuoka?” The white and brown kitten only sweeps his tail side to side playfully, catching onto whatever part of Naoi’s sleeve moves the most. He’s a very playful kitten, most often found dashing round the house for no reason or rolling in catnip. Which… Might be the reason he’s always running around.

“C’mon, let me go.” It takes both of his hands and lots of fussing to get Inuoka to finally let go, although it may also be the rattle of the food dishes downstairs as Nekomata prepares lunchtime for the hoard of cats.

With an amused huff, Naoi pockets Nekomata’s medicine to give to him later, but for now, there’s something else he wants to do. There’s one kitten he hasn’t seen yet, whether nestled in Nekomata’s living room, or sitting on the windowsill in the hallway. Whistling casually, Naoi walks towards the room at the left end of the hall. He doesn’t go through the one on the right unless Nekomata is completely absent throughout the rest of the house. But the one on the left…

He pushes the door open quietly, tip-toeing over to the chair next to a big cat bed next to a warm radiator. As he sits down, there’s a soft ‘prrip?’ and a tuxedo kitten with a black heart shape on his nose looks up at him, blinking off a dream.

“Hi, Shibayama~.” He holds out a finger for the kitten to sniff, and once he realises Naoi is a friend, Shibayama purrs and rubs the side of his head along Naoi’s knuckles until the human starts petting him. The kitten closes his eyes again, rolling onto his side and stretching out, his paws kneading into the air as he’s given plenty of affection.

“If I were to get any cats of my own, I would definitely adopt you. Nekomata would never let me though. He loves all you guys too much.” Shibayama only purrs, relaxing in the warmth against the radiator with a gentle hand stroking his back and scratching his chin and behind the ears.

“I’d better go give your owner his medication. And _you_ have food in your bowl. I’m sure Taketora will finish it off if we don’t get down there soon.” He scoops the kitten up, and Shibayama only gives a small mew before he settles into Naoi’s arms like he’s melting into them, resting his head on Naoi’s shoulder. He purrs like an _engine_.

He’s almost like a puddle, and Naoi cradles him carefully, making smoochy sounds that please the cats. Kenma even looks up from his place at the very top of the scratching post, almost touching the ceiling, and trills in their direction with a squeaky little meow. The gold, black and white calico can usually be found in high, hard to reach places, unless he’s starting a fight with Taketora.

Speaking of Taketora…

“Don’t eat that, Tora! Your bowl is the _red_ one!” Naoi rolls his eyes at Nekomata’s usual lunchtime ramble, until it cuts off into coughing, and then he’s concerned. He steps into the kitchen, carefully putting Shibayama down at the glittery grey bowl, and passes the medication over to Nekomata.

“Here.”

“I suppose I should thank you.”

“Probably~.” Nekomata swallows down his tablets with a glass of milk, leaning back against the counter and getting out a bag of cat treats. He always gives his cats one each after a meal. The first one to skitter up to him, clawing up Nekomata’s trousers and onto his shoulder to rub a cheek against the treat packet demandingly is Fukunaga. He’s another one Naoi has a soft spot for, just because the black tabby is a bit of a weird one.

“Shake a pack of treats and this one would cross countries.” Nekomata grins as he reaches up to stroke the cat, although Fukunaga is more interested in trying to snatch the treat bag around with his paws, eyes full-blown. He’s quiet, but Naoi can just about pick up the purr he gives off around food.

“Alright, well. I have housework to do, so I’m going to go now. I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow.”

“Don’t bother - my grandson is coming over to give me a lift to the vets.” Naoi blinks, a hollow, sinking feeling in his chest.

“The- The vets? What? Why?”

“Kai’s got a bit of a limp. I’m sure it’s just his arthritis again, but I want to make sure.”

“Let me know how that goes.” Nekomata nods, and in a moment of distraction, Fukunaga manages to snatch the treat bag towards himself, meows through it victoriously, and runs off with the bag in his jaws.

“Oi! You little rascal!” Naoi laughs as he heads to the front door, knowing that by the time Nekomata gets that bag back, it’ll have a huge hole chewed in it and no treats left. He smiles as he heads out back to his own home, and he’s pretty sure these cats keep growing on him.

Maybe he’ll have to get one of his own one day.  
(He ends up with two. Alisa and Akane.)

**Author's Note:**

> Please Kudos/Comment~!!  
> Validation keeps me aliiiiive


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